Steve Bannon told a House committee that the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russians was 'unpatriotic' – following his apology for explosive comments that the sit-down was 'treasonous.'

Bannon made the comment while testifying before the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday, acknowledging that he stood by the sentiment of his comments reported in the Michael Wolff book 'Fire and Fury.'

'Even if you thought that this was not treasonous, or unpatriotic, or bad sh--, and I happen to think it's all of that, you should have called the FBI immediately,' Bannon was quoted as saying in the book.

During his interview, he said the meeting was 'unpatriotic,' but said the 'treasonous' comment quoted in the book was an exaggerated statement, ABC News reported.

Former White House strategist Steve Bannon told the House Intelligence Committee a 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russians was 'unpatriotic,' but said his published comment that it was 'treasonous' was exaggerated

A source told the network the comment about patriotism was meant to refer to former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, not to Don Jr. or Trump son in law Jared Kushner, who also attended the meeting.

Bannon apologized after the comment was revealed, and became one of the most incendiary quotes in a book filled with back-biting in intrigue.

He said in a statement he was not referring to the president's eldest son, Don Jr., but meant to refer to former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, who in Bannon's telling should have known better than to get involved. Bannon joined the Trump campaign after the meeting occurred.

'I regret that my delay in responding to the inaccurate reporting regarding Don Jr has diverted attention from the president's historical accomplishments in the first year of his presidency,' Bannon told Axios in a statement.

Bannon called Trump Jr. 'both a patriot and a good man,' said his comments were 'aimed at Paul Manafort,' who 'should have known [the Russians] are duplicitous, cunning and not our friends.'

Then-White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting on cyber security in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017

Steve Bannon, chief strategist for U.S. President Donald Trump, center, listens during a county sheriff listening session with Trump, not pictured, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017

The meeting was attended by Kremlin linked lawyer Natalia Vesenitskaya as well as other Russians, and occurred after the promise of dirt on Hillary Clinton was conveyed to Don Jr.

Bannon also acknowledged another bombshell quote from the book was speculation. He told Wolff about the meeting: '"The chance that Don Jr did not walk these jumos up to his father's office on the twenty-sixth floor is zero.' The White House has denied Donald Trump met the Russians after the Trump Tower meeting.

Bannon told the committee he was speculating about that.

Steve Bannon, former advisor to President Trump, arrives at a House Intelligence Committee closed door meeting, on January 16, 2018 in Washington, DC

In another revelation about Bannon's closed door testimony, it was reported that he gave up information about conversations with White House staff about the meeting after it became public.

He admitted to talking to former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, and Mark Corallo, the former spokesman for Trump's legal team who left his post.

Bannon 'slipped up' when he revealed the information, Axios reported, since it was part of his time as chief White House strategist, and exactly the period White House lawyers are maintaining is off limits.